The state may lift the ban on harvesting female crabs from Sept. 26 to Oct. 4 this year, said Brenda Davis, blue crab program manager for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The decision will be made by the department's secretary and may come within the next few weeks.

If they don't maintain the restrictions, prices will surely jump, especially when the Gulf oil spill is fully felt during the off-season. Plus, the Gulf coast states will likely be looking to us for their supply. Let the females stay and make more babies, preferably males... They say that the bay crab forecast is the best it's been since '96. I'm sure it can still get better...

How horrible it is to see momentous decisions being made on the basis of election year politics.

Our history will be marred FOREVER with the ecological disasters we have caused or allowed to be caused.

The importance of restoring THE BAY with its crabs and oysters takes on a whole new meaning since the Gulf Oil Spill and it is Maryland that should provide the leadership back from the brink of destruction toward the light of the future.

That cannot be done by jeopardizing the little progress we have made with risky decisions the outcome of which is completely unknown.

If the crabbing restrictions are showing positive results, TIGHTEN THEM until we have reached the levels of before the European intrusion.